


Needle and Thread

by peachgalaxy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 1930s, Alternate Universe - 1930s, Captain America: The First Avenger, Historical, M/M, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Serum Bucky Barnes, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Stucky - Freeform, gratuitous product placement of products from the 1930s, gratuitous sibling behavior, mentions of surgery performed by a teenager, probably the first fic in a small series, rebekah knows bucky and steve are a thing, slightly descriptive mentions of cuts, steeb requiring stitches, won't someone please help steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 19:13:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16939083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachgalaxy/pseuds/peachgalaxy
Summary: Steve gets injured worse than he expected in a fight, at least Rebekah knows how to use a needle and thread.





	Needle and Thread

**Author's Note:**

> I always see pictures of injured pre-serum Steve and they're always so Emotional™ and wanted to do a different aspect of it, lol. Plus, no one ever delves into the fact Rebekah was probably just as protective of Steve as Bucky. At least that is what I like telling myself.

“Ouch! Take it easy, jerk!” 

Bucky sends Steve an unimpressed look as he dabs at the cut on his cheek again. Both of them are currently in the Barnes’ kitchen, Rebekah Barnes buzzing around them, trying to help but just getting in the way. 

“Oh, Steve! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault, I didn't know Marshall Gardner had such a mean right hook…”, she says, hands flapping nervously.  

Steve sees Bucky roll his eyes as he grabs the bottle again to put more Camphenol on a fresh cloth. He gives her a smile, ignoring the twinge in his cheek and the trail of fresh blood he feels.

“It wasn’t him that did this, it was the stray piece of metal I happened to fall close to. He just gave me the shiner and bloody nose. I'm used to those.” 

Bekah flaps her hands like a flustered bird again, not looking convinced he’s alright. Bucky nudges his sister out of the way so he can get back to cleaning Steve's cheek. He's sure it's clean now, Bucky is being overdramatic. Bekah hurries out of the room, dark hair and green dress flying as she goes further into the house. Probably to try to get something she thinks Steve'll need. 

“She went to get the medical box Ma keeps in the bathroom cupboard”, Bucky says, tongue peeking out between his lips as he concentrates. 

Steve's eyes are drawn to it and he looks away quickly cheeks heating. Bucky obviously noticed because a gentle kiss is pressed to his forehead. It makes him forget what they're doing for a minute. Then it registers what Bucky means. 

“Bucky,  _ anything _ but the stitches. Surely it isn't that terrible”, Steve squints at his friend, eyebrows furrowing, “Also, how do you know that's what she's doing?” 

“Barnes sibling telepathy”, his friend says ominously, trying to imitate the fortune teller on Coney Island.

It makes Steve want to pinch him. So he does. 

They're about to get in a full-on pinch war when Beckah returns with, as Bucky predicted, a medical box tucked under her arm. Steve grits his teeth a little when he watches her rummage around in the box, pulling out a rather long needle with an ‘AHA!’. Steve feels like vomiting. The cut can’t be  _ that _ deep, could it? He actually doesn't know what it looks like. Also, the adrenaline from managing to land a few hits on Marshall before his spectacular fall into a scrap metal heap. His cheek throbs dangerously. 

_ Saints preserve me _ , Steve prays silently as Bekah pulls out the box of Mersutures next. 

“Well, Stevie, you know the drill.” 

Bucky nudges an unwilling Steve into the living room, Bekah close behind with the sutures and needle clasped in her hands. Steve lays on the sofa, grabbing one of the pillows, hugging it to his chest. It, oddly, smells like Bucky. 

“James, go get the Camphenol and the bandages! Stop ogling Steve!” 

Steve chokes on air, eyes widening and he keeps a firm stare on the ceiling. So, they weren't being that subtle in their attractions, huh? At least Beckah didn't sound disgusted. She begins to thread the needle, her tongue peeking between his lips much like Bucky's does. 

“For being the  _ baby _ sister, you sure do like to boss people around,” his friend says with a snicker as the Camphenol bottle clunks loudly on the wooden floor. Steve has squeezed his eyes shut, hands sweating profusely. 

“Oh hush, you boss me around every day, this is the one chance I have to be superior to you.” 

“Yeah, yeah, just go slow, as Ma taught you.” 

And go slow, Beckah does. They don't have the benefit of anesthesia, being in the living room, so Steve definitely feels every pull of the needle as it weaves the cut back together. After tying off the excess suture thread, Beckah instructs Bucky to press a cloth wetted with Camphenol to the wound. There wasn't any reason to put a bandage on it. Unless Steve tried to scratch at it, then Beckah threatened to hold him down and wrap bandages around his head; ‘only giving you the ability to breathe, see and eat, Steven Rogers!’ 

After the ordeal, Beckah leaves them alone to go clean the needle and put the medical box away. Steve already wants to itch at his cheek and clenched his hands in the pillow to stop himself. 

“Tell Beckah to avoid fellas like Marshall Gardner for me, okay? At least Phil Reed never soaks me hard enough I require stitches after.” 

“I wish  _ you _ would avoid fellas like that. Plus, Gardner didn't do that, you falling into a scrap metal pile after throwing a punch that missed did that to you.” 

“Semantics”, Steve grumbles as he sits up, releasing a sigh. “It doesn't look horrible, does it? The cut, I mean.”

“Nah, it only took a couple stitches to close it. Also, scars are attractive. I’ll appreciate it”, Bucky says, winking. 

“You're such a sap, James Barnes.” 

“Only for you, punk.” 

**xxx-xxx**

The next time Steve Roger's needs stitches, it requires a bit more elbow grease than Rebekah Barnes playing doctor in her living room. To be fair, this incident didn't happen because of a fight. Steve slipped on ice and smashed into a telephone pole. The five inch cut across his forehead throbs as he shifts in the uncomfortable hospital waiting room chair, Bucky a warm presence next to him. Beckah was on the other side of Bucky. She'd insisted to come along since school was out for the winter holiday. 

“I'm sure I could have patched him up, Bucky, you're just being paranoid” she huffs, crossing her arms and slumping in perfect teenager form. 

Steve sees Bucky roll his eyes and it makes his lips twitch upwards. He uses his free hand to reach over to take Bucky's hand, glad they're pretty much alone in the waiting area. The last thing he needs on his record it starting a fight with another patient who can't mind their own business. His head throbs again and he groans a little in pain, twin pairs of green eyes cutting to him. 

“I'm  _ fine _ ”, he grumbles, rolling his eyes. 

Neither Barnes sibling replies but they don't look convinced. It angers Steve. He isn't made of glass! 

“Steve Rogers”, a pretty blonde nurse calls, not looking up from her clipboard, “Doctor Andrews is ready for you.” 

Steve stands, making the Barnes’ stay behind. 

“Just wait for me. I'll get through it.” 

They still don't look convinced. 

_ Jerks _ . 

The minor surgery goes well. Doctor Andrews is quicker than Beckah, finishing the job within a couple of minutes. Steve doesn't even register the pain since Andrews constantly asks him questions as he works. Once that's done, Steve tries not to look at the needle as he sits up, the pretty nurse helping him down off the exam table. 

“Now, don't scratch at the stitches, son. I wouldn't want you to have to come back.” 

“No worries, Doctor Andrews. This isn't my first go around with stitches.” 

Steve decides not to mention he's only ever had the stitches administered by a fifteen-year-old with a rudimentary knowledge of medicine. Out in the lobby, he suddenly surrounded by Beckah and Bucky, the latter examining the bandaged wound, warm hands on Steve's cheeks. 

“See? Told you I could handle it.” 

“Next time, be wary of telephone poles, punk. It gives me a sour feeling in my stomach when I have to take you to the hospital.”

Beckah laughs, hooking her arm through Steve's as they begin to walk out of the building. 

“Since you survived, let's get Coca-Cola to celebrate. Bucky's paying!” 

“Like hell I am!” 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm glad you read to the end, it means a lot! 
> 
> Products and antiquated slang descriptions: 
> 
> Mersutures: "Scottish pharmacist George Merson, who runs a suture manufacturing company, develops eyeless needled sutures with a single strand of material pre-attached through the butt of the needle. This invention greatly reduces tissue damage caused by pulling double strands through the skin." These sutures were invented in the 1920s! (info from the history of sutures on the Johnson&Johnson website)
> 
> Camphenol: A type of antiseptic that is apparently still made!
> 
> "soak" - to get beat up
> 
> "shiner": black eye


End file.
